Not Forgotten
by Dragon-Sigma
Summary: Switzerland encounters an injured Austria after WWII. Can Lily convince her brother to put aside his hate and help his old friend?


Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein

Semi-historical

minor non-romantic shipping

- This is semi-historical. The "semi" part means that I've probably got everything wrong, but that I found this bit of history to be so heartwarming that I couldn't not write it. I don't "ship" Switzerland and Austria as lovers, but rather as close friends. -

"_You're gonna follow my rules now."_

"_What?"_

"_You'll follow my rules. Pay my taxes"_

"_Are you joking, fool?" _

_But the violet eyes were as earnest as ever — and the young nation seemed to fully believe he had such a right to take power over the friend who had rescued him from battle so many times before._

Switzerland wandered the battlefield, his sister behind. _Damn that France! Who does he think he is? _They came from further west, Vash still steaming after tending to the weakened Allied nation in question. Francis's condition hadn't stopped him from ...making advances... on Liechtenstein. She was still shaken, not so much from France's words and hands, but more from her brother's reaction; his enraged threats had frightened her almost as much as they did France himself. Under the banner of neutrality, he was not allowed to shoot at France, though he had held his rifle at the ready throughout the encounter.

But there were more important things at hand.

"Lily? Do you see anyone?"

"Not yet, Brother — oh! Look there!" She pointed at a figure slumped on the ground, in the middle of nowhere. As they approached, the figure revealed itself to be familiar to Switzerland. Familiar and hated.

Austria.

Already, Liechtenstein was running up to the injured nation. _She doesn't know what he's done,_ Vash thought angrily. Yet he knew that his sister's innate compassion wouldn't change even with the knowledge of Austria's betrayal. He came beside his sister, beside the man who was no longer a friend.

"Liechtenstein? What are you doing here? This is no place for a girl," Austria said, weakly.

Vash looked disdainfully down at Austria, but only for a moment, before turning his impassive glare to the horizon. Though he wouldn't admit it, even to himself, the pain in Austria's face was difficult for Vash to bear.

Lily had already taken bandages from her bag.

"We should leave. Come on, Lily," Vash said, taking a step forward.

"What? Brother, we need to stay and help! Isn't that why we're here?"

"Come on," he repeated, this time his words slightly unsure, "leave him."

"Brother!" Liechtenstein cried indignantly, "he's hurt!"

Austria coughed and added, with a tone of anger in his voice, "Have you a reason to despise me as you do? What have I done to you?"

_Hah. He feigns innocence, like a child, like that demon Prussia!_

"You know! I would never obey those laws, or pay you anything! For how often I had to rescue you, you should have paid me!" Vash growled, saying more than he had admitted in centuries.

"What! What do you mean-" Austria stopped, and froze for an instant as he thought for the first time in recent ages of the childhood he had hidden away in his mind. Remembering failed battles and Switzerland's annoyance, remembering a boy who couldn't leave him behind, no matter how useless he was at fighting. And then the day he'd got the idea he was superior, and could overtake others, put them under his reign.

"We were friends, Vash," he said, his quiet and stern demeanor broken by the stories he recalled. And for a moment Vash understood: whether out of guilt or grief, Austria had forced himself to forget his youth. But Switzerland's hatred was ingrained too deeply to be changed that fast.

"You're not my friend. I don't make allies. Eternally neutral, remember?" Switzerland said, coldly.

_But you helped France._ Lily thought,_ neutrality has nothing to do with it._

"Brother?" Liechtenstein broke in.

Vash looked to his sister.

"It...it seems to me that you do care about him," she began, becoming nervous at her brother's indignant expression, "You look at him like you look at me...as if he was a friend, or your little brother."

Vash stood for a moment, looking from Liechtenstein and her pleading eyes to Austria, seeing the other nation's pain and for a moment considering Lily's words. He thought of his childhood, and of Austria's place in it.

_You'll always be my friend, won't you?_

"Fine." Switzerland said, turning to Lily and Austria, kneeling beside his sister, Liechtenstein looking at him with a confused expression. "Huh?"

"Well, Lily? Come on," he said, helping Austria to stand, and then then his tone changed. Nearly in tears now, he muttered, "You idiot! You know I couldn't... I couldn't just leave you! Damn it all!"

He took a moment to calm himself.

"You're totally useless, you know that?" Vash remarked.

"Yes," replied Austria with a weak laugh, "I suppose I am."

_But then you're always there to pick me up._


End file.
